FAQs
Do you mix stuff that you don’t record?
Yes. You can link to examples of my mix work on the MUSIC page. If you’re interested in having me mix, please email with a general picture of your project and we’ll schedule a time to talk if it seems like a good fit. It is also helpful if you include a link to your previous work or rough mixes of the current recordings if you have those available. Rates and turnaround time depend on the scope of the project.
Why do you use hardware recording equipment so much when a laptop and plugins can do it all now?
High quality recording hardware has a tone, resonance, and musicality in the same way as any acoustic instrument or amplifier. I love tube compressors, microphones, and preamps as well as certain op-amps and transformers that impart a signature tone or color into the recorded sound. And I find that hardware tends to do this with an immediacy that plugins often struggle to replicate. To my ears the high quality hardware difference is not subtle and while some engineers do great work exclusively using their computers, the sonic benefits offered by a studio with top-tier hardware deliver a massive improvement to the sound and impact of your recording.
Is Tree & Booms good for every recording project?
No. After working together awhile before moving on to another studio, a band once told me that they wanted a place where it was “ok to spill beer on the floor.” That is not this studio. Tree & Booms is best suited to those who still believe in the intrinsic value of recorded music, who enjoy focusing deeply on the process of creating a recording, and who love the warm tones of old school sound coupled with the detailed airiness of modern records. I only take on production, recording, and mix projects that seem like a good fit so that we stand the best chance of feeling mutually positive about the process/results.
Do you teach?
I offer consulting and private instruction in person or online. Depending on the individual goals, these sessions might center on creative routines and practices, mix or recording feedback, songwriting input, rhythm or drumming, or developing ways to better utilize the recording studio as a vehicle for composing original songs/sounds. Consulting and teaching availability is schedule dependent. Contact mattwyatt@treeandbooms.com for more information.
Who are you, anyway?
In addition to producing, recording, mixing, and co-writing with various artists in the studio, I have performed professionally as a freelance drummer and percussionist for over 20 years. I also experiment with sound design and create my own music. I released a solo album called Exist Everywhere in 2025 and an earlier album of musical sketches called Boom & Bloom on WarHen Records in 2020. I largely avoid social media but I’ve written and shared my thoughts on the creative process of music/sound in my newsletter, shared through Substack. If you’re interested in learning more about my approach, I was a recent guest on the ProducerHead podcast.